A main focal point of the Network lies in providing information on funding opportunities open to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Possibilities include EU funding through the Structural Funds, general SME funding from governments or banks, the Commission's project for 'Supporting the internationalisation of SMEs', the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) and others. Enterprise Europe Network's activities, though, go further. Network experts are able to help SMEs apply for funding and offer advice on EU legislation and policies. In addition, Enterprise Europe seeks to involve SMEs and other businesses in the policy making process.

Among Enterprise Europe Network's other roles are to bring together business and research, facilitate the search for partners in other countries and promote the transfer of technology from the drawing board to the market. The Network's Technology Transfer Service, for instance, helps establish contact between a partner offering a technology and potential users. Support then continues even during the transfer process.

An important feature in all of these activities is Enterprise Europe Network's local presence. To ensure wide coverage, the Network is composed of 600 local partner organisations, including chambers of commerce and industry, research and development organisations, universities, regional development agencies, national SME associations, regional governments and even national state banks. Together, they deploy a workforce of around 3,000 business support experts. The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) is responsible for managing the Network.

SME success stories, thanks to Enterprise Europe Network's brokerage services, corroborate the partners' views.

At this point, the Network covers 44 countries, including:

Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, the United Kingdom, USA,  the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm

Source: CORDIS RCN 31041